See one deserving heart disease advocate get a glamorous transformation

A Mother's Heart

A Mother's Heart

"While I was growing up, I remember practically living in my doctor's office," says Pamela Coleman, whose aortic valve had a congenital defect and needed to be replaced when she was 13. After undergoing open-heart surgery, "I was told it would be too dangerous to have kids," explains Pamela, now 46. "But I was just a kid myself, so it didn't register."

When she got married, though, the Whitehouse Station, NJ, resident began to yearn for motherhood. "My cardiologist is a woman," she explains, "so though there were risks, she understood."

Because she had been on blood thinners since she was a teenager, Pamela's doctors warned her that she could bleed uncontrollably during labor. She switched medications after conceiving, but one morning two months later, she awoke in a pool of blood. A clot had formed on her uterus, and Pamela was put on complete bed rest.

At 33 weeks, another clot was discovered. This one was on Pamela's artificial valve, preventing it from opening and closing. Knowing that she was going into heart failure, doctors rushed to deliver the baby and, a mere 24 hours later, prepped Pamela for surgery. Both mother and son James, now 16, made it through. "It was a miracle that we both survived," Pamela says. "I was given a chance, so I vowed to be the best mom I could be."

She's kept that vow—and also become a WomenHeart Champion, speaking locally to educate women about how they can prevent heart disease. "Now that my son's older, WomenHeart has given me new purpose," Pamela says. To celebrate her commitment to the cause, the Woman's Day makeover team transformed her look with the help of top New York salon Butterfly Studio. "I can't remember the last time I did anything to pamper myself," Pamela says. "I feel like a celebrity!" Read on to find out how Pamela's look was transformed.

Do you need a makeover?

Are you facing difficult times? You could get a home or style makeover. Send an email with your story to wdmakeovers@womansday.com.